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“As long as you’re okay with it.”
I stop in the middle of the pavement. “Of course I’m okay with it. How’d you convince them to come all the way out here?”
Raine waltzes ahead of me. “With charisma and grace,” she says, and turns in a little spin. As soon as the wordgraceleaves her mouth she catches her foot on the pavement and stumbles. I lurch forward and catch her by the arm, pulling her upright before she can fall.
“With what, now?”
She grins at me. “All right, there was no grace involved. Just charisma.”
“I believe it,” I say, and reluctantly let go of her sleeve.
“Don’t tease me.”
“I’m not teasing! I’m serious. I think you’re very charming.”
Raine smiles down at her boots as she walks beside me. I love howeasy it is to make her smile. I want to do it again, but I have to be careful. I can’t forget that this is supposed to be a very professional work relationship, themostprofessional.
“I just asked if they’d like to play now and then for free beer.”
“Nothing like the bartering economy,” I say.
She shakes her head with a laugh. “They said they could come twice a month, at least for now. They might be able to come more often in the future.”
“Nail down the dates and let me know what you need from me. And to think you told me you had no idea how to do this job.”
“Well, don’t get too confident in me. I could still screw it up.”
Her voice is light, but I think she really means that. “I have a hard time seeing how you could screw up something like that.”
“You’d be surprised at the many ways I can screw things up.” Before I can respond, she looks out at Cork Harbour and sighs. “I can’t believe I’m still here.”
“Say your things didn’t get stolen. Where would you be now?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I try not to plan too far ahead. I was only supposed to be in Cobh that one afternoon. I was going to stay the night in Cork, busk Oliver Plunkett street for a few days, then move on to the next place.” She pauses. “Galway, probably.” She stops walking and leans against the railing. I stand beside her, following her gaze across the water to the windmills that spin in the distance. It reminds me of the thoughts I can’t seem to shake, how they burrow into my head and just keep circling.
“If you could go anywhere, where would you go?” Raine asks.
I look her over. “You’re from Boston, right?”
“Yup.”
I shoot her a grin. “Then I’d go to Boston.”
“Come on. Really, where would you go?”
“Boston,” I say again. “I need to see the hometown of my favorite musician.”
She bumps her shoulder against mine. “How can I be your favorite musician? You’ve only heard me play one song.”
“It was a really good song.”
She rolls her eyes. “Come on.”
“I mean it! And that’s not the only song I’ve heard you play.” At the look on her face, I have to laugh. “Do you really think I’ve never looked you up?”
“You have?”
“Of course I have. You smile when you sing. Even for the sad songs.”
